Mix ‘n Match Shakshuka - The Shooks Life

Shakshuk-it-to-me. Say what? Shakshuka, that is. This Mediterranean dish is a one-pot wonder of poached eggs basking in a smoky, spicy tomato and bell pepper sauce. My version gets an extra kick from harissa, tempered with a dollop of creamy ricotta. And with a sauce like this, you need something to scoop it all up, so I’ve paired this with triangles of Simple Mills gluten free flatbread, made with almond flour – a staple that got me through my first Whole30. This dish makes for an epic brunch or a mindlessly easy meatless meal. Save this one for that next meatless Monday because it does. not. disappoint. Get the dEATs below!

In Israel, the word “shakshuka” is actually synonymous with breakfast. But this breakfast dish is hearty enough to fulfill your wildest meatless Monday dreams. It’s also a crazy simple one pot dish that really only requires a few minutes of “active work” in the form of chopping up an onion and a red bell pepper. My younger brother first tipped me off to this dish when he made it a few months ago. He’s vegetarian, but has been exploring more Paleo and Whole30 recipes to clean up his act. I couldn’t get enough of the savory slop and had to put my own spin on this traditional Mediterranean dish.

What I love about this dish is that it’s incredibly versatile. I like to try just throwing in a little bit of this and a little bit of that. This approach doesn’t work quite as well in baking, which requires more precision and knowledge of chemistry (xyz will help the baked good to rise, abc will make it crisp, etc.). That’s why I generally prefer the creativity in cooking over baking. If you’re one who likes to get those creative juices flowing in the kitchen, below are a few tips.

The trick to experimentation is:

1.) using ingredients that are commonly paired together or complementary
2.) layering one new addition at a time so you know when you’ve gone awry and
3.) starting small – you can always add more, but reversing is a bit trickier

I started my experimentation with a bit of harissa, a North African chili pepper paste. I like my eggs with a dash of hot sauce, so the slight smokiness of harissa seemed like a perfect way to turn up the temp on this dish. Next, I wanted to amp up the veggie content and had some extra spinach in the fridge, so I threw in a few handfuls. You really can’t go wrong with adding spinach to most savory dishes, especially with a flavorful sauce that masks just about anything you throw in it. Lastly, I wanted to thicken the texture and complement the acidic nature of this sauce and tomato + spinach immediately led me to lasagna. And lasagna means ricotta. Plus, already had some in my fridge – bingo! Again, started small and the result was magnifique!

Here are some additional thoughts on adaptations:

Traditional Shakshuka
-replace the harissa with 1/4 tsp of cayenne or chili powder

Italian Shakshuka
-incorporate spinach and ricotta

Southwestern Shakshuka
-add a chopped jalapeno pepper in place of the harissa and top with sliced avocado

Harissa Shakshuka with Creamy Ricotta
Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:
– 3 T extra-virgin olive oil
– 1 yellow onion, chopped
– 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
– 1 (28oz) can of crushed tomatoes
– 3 cloves of garlic, minced (or 3 tsp of minced garlic from a jar)
– 1 tsp ground cumin
– 1 tsp smoked paprika
– 2 T harissa paste
– 2 generous handfuls of fresh spinach
– 1/2 C of whole milk ricotta cheese
– 3/4 tsp salt
– 1/4 tsp black pepper
-6 large eggs

Directions:
Step 1: Heat oven to 375 degrees.
Step 2: Heat the olive oil in a large dutch oven or cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onions and red bell peppers. Cook stirring occasionally until softened – about 10-15 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until tender and fragrant, stirring frequently – about 1-2 minutes. Stir in the remaining ingredients through the black pepper and allow to simmer until the sauce thickens, about 10 minutes.
Step 3: Create 6 small divots in the sauce. Gently crack the eggs in each of the divots. Transfer to the oven and bake until the eggs are just set, 7 to 10 minutes. Serve with pita bread, challah or other bread of your choice (shown with Simple Mills flatbread).